Try For Something With Claws
by JulyvsDaniel
Summary: Naruto returns to the village and has a strong reaction to one of his old friends' new look. Of course, old enemies always seem to ruin things. Shinobi from his travels with Jiraiya attack with their signature jutsu. I own the shinobi and the jutsu. I need an animal that acts like Sakura. Specifically, it should be extremely grouchy and easily ticked off.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Naruto Shippuden or any of the characters. Takes place in an alternate universe where the Akatsuki never made their move so Naruto never had to go after Gaara.

* * *

Speechless

Naruto leapt out of the window behind Tsunade's desk and took off sprinting and sending out shadow clones. Most people would have thought the village was under attack but it was much simpler than that. Naruto had returned to the village from his trip with Jiraiya about an hour ago and had been forbidden to go find his friends until he and Jiraiya had met with Tsunade, a meeting which had just concluded.

He planned on making up for lost time, hence the clones. He himself ran through the streets scanning the crowds for anyone he knew. He had met Sakura and Konohamaru when he first arrived but that still left at least nine for him to find. Finally one of his clones disappeared and knowledge of a long conversation with Neji hit him as if he had personally had it. Neji had been happy to see him and then had promptly made fun of Naruto for being the only Genin in the Konoha 11 when he himself was a jounin. Naruto had attacked him and Neji had easily taken him out. Soon a second disappeared voluntarily letting him know it had found Ino and Tenten both of whom had been happy to see him. A third had found Choji and Shikamaru who seemed mostly indifferent since Shikamaru was bored and Choji was waiting for his steaks to finish cooking. A fourth found Lee training and began to train with him until Lee decided he wanted to spar and destroyed the clone before it could react. That left three and Naruto himself found two of them standing under a tree, even though he only recognized one.

"Kiba!" Naruto shouted running over then noticed the massive dog Kiba was sitting on. "Whoa! Is that Akamaru?"

"Yeah why?" Kiba asked.

"He's huge!" Naruto said. "When I left you carried him around on your head!"

"Really?" Kiba asked. "Hm, I don't remember."

"Well it's true," Naruto said.

"You don't recognize me at all do you?" Shino asked.

"Um...no," Naruto said. "of course, it might be easier if you didn't have your entire face hidden."

Shino pulled his hood down and Naruto raised an eye brow as a similar looking ninja appeared in his memory.

"I creep you out because I'm a stoic and I control bugs," Shino said.

"Oh, the bug kid," Naruto said. "What was it...Sino?"

"Shino," Shino said. "Close enough I guess."

Naruto shrugged and looking past them thinking he saw movement and suddenly froze. He just barely caught a glimpse of a face but it was enough to make his mind go totally blank. The face had been of an absolutely and undeniably beautiful woman with long blue hair in a hime-style haircut with shoulder-length strands of hair framing her face. The face rang multiple extremely loud bells in his mind and vague memories flashed through his mind but it was only getting more and more fuzzy as the face continued to stay rooted in his mind.

"Naruto!" Kiba said snapping Naruto back to reality.

"Huh?" Naruto asked. "What?"

"You okay?" Kiba asked. "You spaced on us. You've been completely unresponsive for two minutes now."

"Oh," Naruto said. "I...um...have to go."

He released all of his other clones and walked to the corner he had seen the woman at and turned to see her hiding against the wall. Her face was bright red and when he got to the corner she squeaked and backed away several steps as if afraid of him. Now that he saw her for more than a second, he recognized her perfectly.

"Hinata," Naruto said. "Wow. You look...incredible."

"Th-thank you N-Naruto," Hinata said her face growing an even darker shade of red. "I-it's g-good to s-see y-you."

"Yeah," Naruto said still partially mystified and unable to look away from Hinata's face even long enough to see what she had on. "It's been a long time. How have you been?"

"G-good," Hinata said. "I've b-been training w-with Neji."

"Cool," Naruto said just before Kiba placed a hand on his shoulder turning him and snapping him out of his partial daze and allowing Hinata to relax without Naruto staring at her.

"Naruto," Kiba said. "I think you and I need to talk."

"Okay," Naruto said grateful that Kiba snapped him out of it and nervous about what might happen if he bumped into Hinata when he wasn't around, or worse, when Sakura or Hiashi Hyuga were.

Naruto had never met Hiashi but had been informed that if Hiashi ever found Hinata and him taking alone or even with anyone else around, cut and run.

"Alright Naruto," Kiba said as they stopped out of sight and earshot. "What's up with you? You've been acting off since you...oh. It's about damn time."

"What?" Naruto asked.

"You sly dog," Kiba said. "You have feelings for Hinata."

"No I don't!" Naruto said.

"Then how would you describe her in one word?" Kiba asked grinning.

"Angel," Naruto said before he even had time to register the question or think about answering it.

Kiba stared in surprise at Naruto and Naruto mirrored his feelings.

"Wow," Kiba said. "Poor Naruto. You're not going to be able to talk to her ever again. What was she wearing?"

"She was wearing..." Naruto tried to remember but all he could picture was her face.

Even her exact hairstyle was lost on him.

"That's what I thought," Kiba said. "Good luck."

With that, Kiba left and Naruto stood their desperately trying to remember what Hinata had been wearing. He kept coming up with blanks and just stood their dazed and quickly losing the ability to think coherently the more he thought about Hinata. He didn't notice the sun slipping below the horizon and would have stood there all night if Neji hadn't found him.

"There you are," Neji said landing beside him. "What the hell were you doing?"

"I...when did it get dark?" Naruto asked.

"A couple hours ago," Neji said. "Tsunade has had half the village searching for you. She wants to talk to you, it you're done being in a walking coma."

Naruto nodded and went to Tsunade's office and entered to see Hinata reporting not being able to find him. This time he managed to make himself check her outfit so that the question would leave him alone. Then he fixed his gaze on what little he could see of her face and again entered a daze.

"It's alright Hinata," Tsunade said. "He's here. Naruto, we found Sasuke."

"Huh?" Naruto asked forcing his way out of his daze and looking at her in confusion.

"Are you feeling okay?" Tsunade asked already knowing what was wrong as well as what he would say.

"Never better," Naruto said. "Neji said you were looking for me."

"Yes," Tsunade said. "Hinata you're dismissed."

Naruto's eyes drifted to Hinata as she bowed. He hair fell in her face and then she stood and turned to leave smiling at him as well as blushing bright red before leaving. And just like that, he was as stupefied as when he had first seen her and just before Neji had found him put together.

"Naruto!" Tsunade said snapping her fingers in front of him and resisting the urge to punch him.

He very slowly registered his surroundings seeing that it had been over an hour since he had spaced out then looked at Tsunade blinking.

"Huh?" Naruto asked.

"Oh that is it!" Tsunade said. "You are going to the Hyuga Compound and you are not leaving until you kiss her!"

"What?" Naruto asked face turning red without even knowing who she meant. "Wait, who?"

"Ugh, forget it," Tsunade said resting her face in her hand. "The reason I called you here is that Jiraiya told me about a group of shinobi you both met in your travels. As it happens, there has recently been an increase in the animal population of a straight line heading through the Land of Fire toward here. If we're right, they should be here within a day. Now, Sakura brought a message while I was trying to get your attention. The Konoha 11 are supposed to meet in the usual spot. You're dismissed."

Naruto nodded and turned to leave.

"And Naruto," Tsunade said. "Don't let them get to her. Keep her safe."

Naruto nodded still not entirely certain who she meant and leapt out of the window. If Tsunade was right, everyone would need to be careful and hope the jutsu didn't fuck them up too much.

THE END

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Read and review. Honestly, I know, it was a little much as far as Naruto's reaction but I based it on how I thought he'd react if Sakura kissed him when they were young. And I may have multiplied that reaction a few times. Oh well, hopefully later chapters will make up for it.


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own Naruto Shippuden or any of the characters. Tenten's animal is for female dominance.

* * *

_Italics mean thoughts._

"_Italics with quotes mean conversations between animals."_

* * *

Invasion

Naruto landed on a tree branch in a sitting position beside Hinata. Kiba was on her other side and Shino was leaning against the trunk of the tree. Sakura, Lee, and Ino all stood across the clearing from them and Neji and Tenten sat together on the left side, and Shikamaru and Choji were standing on the right.

"Okay," Neji said. "I'm glad everyone remembered this clearing was the meeting spot in case of emergency. Now, Naruto. Tsunade informed us that there was a threat on the way that was once dealt with by you and Jiraiya but that it was your story to tell. Care to share with the rest of the class?"

"Neji, Hinata, do you two remember the Hyuga that was sent to deliver a message to me and Jiraiya about a year after we left?" Naruto asked.

"Yes," Neji said.

"Yes," Hinata said. "He never came back and we were afraid that he had been killed."

"Well, Naruto said. "He found use easily enough thanks to Jiraiya being smart enough to lay a trail of breadcrumbs that only a Konoha shinobi could follow. When he found us, however, we were already fighting. The shinobi we were up against were powerful and dangerous but not particularly a threat in their skill level. There were hundreds of them though. The Hyuga tried to help us and did extremely well except that the shinobi eventually began to use their secret jutsu. It was...not a fun one to be hit with."

"What was it?" Shino asked.

"I honestly don't want to say," Naruto said.

"We need to know," Neji said.

"Alright," Naruto said after a moment. "Their jutsu transforms anyone it hits into the animal they are most like. If you were extremely territorial and hot-tempered it might be any number of things but I've seen a wasp and a lion. If you're kind and attention seeking you might be a puppy or a cat. Shino you would probably be a bug. Lee, I have no idea. Maybe a roadrunner. Neji...lion, through and through."

"Alright," Neji said. "What happened when he was hit?"

"He was turned into a dog and slaughtered," Naruto said. "Then I...um...got mad and began beating the crap out of them until the last fifty or so retreated."

"You got mad?" Sakura asked. "Wait, you don't mean like that time that you fought Orochimaru in the Forest of Death do you?"

"No," Naruto said. "Like when I fought Sasuke at the Valley of the End. You didn't see me then, of course."

"Did he retain his mind?" Neji asked. "Or was he and actual dog?"

"He kept fighting," Naruto said. "That's why they killed him."

"I see," Neji said. "So now they want revenge on you right?"

"Now I have no idea," Naruto said. "It seemed like they were after me last time too but God only knows. Fair warning, they're immune to Gentle Fist."

"Great," Neji said. "Alright, I think we should go let Condor out."

"Helpful as that may be," Naruto said. "I doubt it's a good idea. For now, we should-"

"They're here," Kiba said. "They're every...what the...I...can't smell them anymore."

"They're masking their scent," Naruto said. "We'll have to find them to old fashioned way. Everyone will have to split up. Tenten, stick with Neji and Kiba can stay with Akamaru. Aside from that, one man teams only. Neji, catch."

He removed his ninja tools leaving only his kunai pouch and tossed it to Neji. Neji caught it and nodded. Technically he carried his own ninja tools but his were less for offense than he needed.

"What about Hinata?" Neji asked.

"She's going to help me look for the leader," Naruto said. "If I can stop him, this invasion is over. Everyone be careful. I don't want animals for friends."

"Can the jutsu be reversed?" Neji asked.

"Yes," Naruto said. "If the ninja that used it is killed, the victim will be changed back. And don't worry if you do get hit, you'll have your clothes on when you change back."

"Alright," Sakura said. "Let's go."

Naruto nodded and they scattered in the groups Naruto had specified leaving Naruto and Hinata where they had been.

"Shouldn't we get going?" Hinata asked.

"We need to give them a moment to get their attention," Naruto said. "I have no doubt he's here for me. He'll only use that jutsu on someone he knows I care about. He's probably given his men the same order."

Hinata nodded and they sat in silence for a moment before Naruto stood. He dropped to the ground and a moment later, three shinobi landed across from him. They all wore completely black body suits and full face masks leaving only a strip across their masks uncovered. They also wore obsidian greaves, gauntlets, pauldrons, and cuirasses.

* * *

"Under no circumstance are you to engage the villagers," a shinobi in a black suit and gold armor said. "Naruto Uzumaki is the target. Change him if you can but if you can't do not attempt to fight him directly. If you see one of the eleven, turn them immediately. Do not fear the Hyugas. They will be weak." He turned to a ninja with a similar black suit but silver armor. "Do it."

"One of the eleven has a dog and has the senses of a dog," the ninja said. "When you enter the village, inject yourselves with one of these. They will mask your scent. Now go!"

The small army of seventy shinobi scattered and the two in metal armor followed.

"You know that the target but be the Haruno girl," the ninja in silver armor said. "You know he is in love with her, don't you brother?"

"Don't you dare second guess my strategy brother," the one in gold armor said. "When we last met the Uzumaki brat, you fled like a coward while I alone stood up to the freak. You are a coward. Do not profess to know what is best. The men may be searching for Naruto and you for the Haruno girl, but I have a different target in mind. I intend not to kill or turn Naruto. I intend to set him on a rampage. Then, when he comes to me begging me to finish him, I will."

"You're cold," the other ninja said. "I'm going to find the Haruno girl."

He branched off and headed around the outside of the village. The ninja with the gold armor stayed straight on course heading into the village. He knew his plan would work. After all, even if his brother was right, how bad could Naruto's reaction be? Just as he thought this, columns of light began shooting up around the village.

_One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine,_ the ninja thought. _Excellent. I didn't think things would go this smoothly._

* * *

Naruto leapt into the air over one ninja and over an unconscious second, landing on the third's head. The first ninja threw a Fuma Shuriken and Naruto leapt over it kicking it downward and into the third ninja's throat. He landed behind the first ninja and slit his throat with his kunai then stabbed the unconscious one in the back of the head.

"There," Naruto said. "You okay?"

"F-fine," Hinata said. "You made them look weak."

"They are," Naruto said. "But try not to fight them. I'll handle any we find."

"Okay," Hinata said.

Just then a fourth shinobi sprinted into the clearing and Naruto got ready to fight but realized he was running out of fear not in an attempt to fight Naruto. Just then a roar erupted from the trees behind him.

"Oh boy," Naruto said.

* * *

"Neji!" Tenten screamed.

They had been fighting a group of at least fifteen ninja when they had been separated. They had killed most no problem and were down to five but four of those were after Neji.

"Fuck this," Neji said drawing two kunai and activating his Byakugan. "Eight Trigrams, Rotation!"

He spun in a blur and blood flew into the air then he slowed to a stop and the ninja all fell. He grinned and charged at the ninja attacking Tenten.

"You know what to do," Neji said.

The ninja retreated and Neji began to chase him. The ninja came to a dead end at the end of the alley they had been fighting in and Neji leapt onto the wall on the ninja's right then onto the roof on his left. Just as he cleared the alley, Tenten drew her scroll.

She swung one hand up revealing several seals and suddenly spears and arrows began shooting out and directly at the ninja. He didn't even have the chance to scream before he was pinned to the wall at the end of the alley. He stared down at the weapons and the blood dripping from his wounds onto his hands. Then he fell limp and Tenten grinned. Just as she put her scroll away, a blinding light up to her right flashed and when she looked there was a fully grown lion with pale white eyes was looking back at her. Then it leapt off of the roof at her. She held her arms up and it sailed past her and she heard a loud crash and a strangled scream. She looked back to see the lion crunch the head of a ninja then let the body fall and looked back at her.

"Neji?" Tenten asked.

He nodded just before a second light blinded her. A moment later she was several feet shorter, standing on her hands and feet with her back straight and almost horizontal to the ground. She had black fur and a red nose with blue skin on the sides, yellowish fur under her snout, and a bald butt with bright blue skin and a short bright pink tail.

_"Ha ha!"_ Neji said walking over. _"You're a baboon. Since I can say this without it meaning anything dirty, that's an awfully pretty rear you got there. Ha ha ha ha ha ha!"_

_"When we get turned back into humans I am so going to kill you!"_ Tenten said. _"Come on, let's go find some more."_

* * *

Sakura landed in a group of shinobi smashing the ground and sending the shinobi flying. They smashed through buildings being impaled on broken pieces of wood and suffering broken bones on impact. Sakura stood and began running through the streets looking for other ninja. Just as she rounded another corner, she caught a glimpse of a ninja with silver armor ducking around a corner.

"Where do you think you're-" Sakura skidded around the corner and into a blinding light.

A moment later she felt heavy and her fingers felt wrong. She looked down and saw that she was now covered in black fur with a gold 'U' on its chest. Her fingers had grown long curved and pointed claws and her teeth felt pointed. She could feel that her skin was heavily wrinkled and could see that she was now fat with skin hanging off of her loosely.

"So you're Sakura," the ninja said walking over. "You were very pretty. Now, of course, your looks match your personality. The animal form is what animal the person most closely resembles in personality. You are hot-tempered and violent so you got among the most violent and temperamental animals in the world. You fat, ugly bitch."

Sakura instantly felt her vision go white as anger shot through her body. She reached out and swung at the ninja and he just barely managed to avoid it then jumped and vanished in a puff of smoke. Three other ninja ran into the alley and stopped the moment they saw her. They spun around to run but before they could take a step she had batted two aside killing them instantly and the third took off running. Sakura followed and it left the village running into the forest. She followed and after a moment the ninja ran into a clearing and she roared barreling into the clearing after him. Then she leapt into the air tackling the ninja and tearing his throat out. After a moment she stopped and looked sideways seeing two more possible targets.

* * *

Shino stood in the middle of a wide empty street looking around. Exactly ten shinobi were all struggling silently in cocoons of bugs that were absorbing their chakra.

Just then, three more shinobi came tumbling past him and started to get up so he sent bugs after them too. Then Lee arrived and Shino nodded to him.

"Any trouble?" Shino asked.

"None," Lee said. "Another one."

They looked and saw a flash of silver before they were both blinded. A moment later, Lee was a short brown bird with black spots, a black plume on top of his head, and small but sharp talons.

Shino's change was bigger. He shrunk until he was the size of his bugs and took on the exact same appearance.

_"Um, Shino, I can't tell you apart from the other bugs,"_ Lee said.

_"I'm already on your back,"_ Shino said. _"We need to find Naruto, I can't fight like this and you can only run."_

_ "Agreed," _Shino said.

* * *

Ino, Choji, and Shikamaru all met up accidentally but decided to stay that way. They were much more effective together. They currently had five shinobi stuck with both Shadow Stitching Jutsu and Soul Transfer Jutsu. Choji was rolling through the shinobi with kunai wrapped around his body. Ino went back to her body just as Choji killed the ninja she had been holding. Finally they were finished and Shikamaru sighed.

"Done," Shikamaru said standing and looking around as Choji shrunk back to normal and landed beside him. "Not bad. Now, let's go find some more."

"I'm surprised you don't think this is a drag Shikamaru," Choji said.

"Might as well do what we can," Shikamaru said. "After all, I'd rather not turn into an-"

A blinding light flashed and they all got blinded. A moment later, Shikamaru was covered in hair with disproportionately long arms tipped in three claws. He was probably about three feet tall and he could hear Ino giggling but her voice sounded different. She was now about three hundred pounds, hairy, had overgrown teeth sticking out of her mouth, and had a snout. Choji, however, was sitting on her back, his bright blue wings fluttering silently and his antenna shifting as he tried to look around with them.

_"You're a sloth Shikamaru,"_ Ino giggled.

_"You're a pig Ino,"_ Shikamaru said.

_"What happened to me?" _Choji asked.

_"Butterfly,"_ Shikamaru said.

"Where the heck did those come from?" Kiba asked as he and Akamaru walked around the corner with a dead body dragging from Akamaru's mouth.

Akamaru dropped the body and barked but Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji understood him.

_"Shikamaru, Ino and Choji right?"_ Akamaru asked.

_"Yes,"_ Ino said.

Akamaru barked to them and Kiba cocked his head then nodded. Then he looked past them and saw a ninja with silver armor.

"I see the guy that got all of you," Kiba said. "I've got him."

He charged forward and the ninja smirked and looked sideways. Kiba followed his line of sight just as a Lion, roadrunner with a bug on it, and a baboon all walked out of a side street and Kiba blinked in surprise.

_All of them?_ Kiba thought just before a blinding light hit him.

A moment later he was sitting with his forepaws and right hind leg holding him upright while hie left hind leg scratched furiously at a flea that thought he was lunch.

_"Wow Kiba,"_ Lee said. _"You look just like Akamaru."_

Kiba growled at him then several ninja landed around them and attacked them. Most of them tried to fight but those that were too small ran away. The ninja drew them away from each other and Kiba found himself and Akamaru alone. They finished off the ninja that was fighting them then sat down and began scratching at their fleas.

THE END


	3. Chapter 3

I do not own Naruto Shippuden or any of the characters.

* * *

_Italics mean thoughts._

"_Italics with quotes mean conversations between animals."_

* * *

Worth The Wait

Naruto stared at the Sun Bear standing on it hind legs and staring at him with beady green eyes. Naruto realized with a shock that it wasn't a normal bear. He recognized the eyes.

"Sakura?" Naruto asked. "I gotta say, your animal form fits. Short-tempered, powerful, volatile. You earned this."

Sakura roared and charged forward but Naruto kicked her back and she landed glaring at him but sat down.

"Hinata, find the others," Naruto said.

Hinata activated her Byakugan and searched the village.

"They've all turned into animals, or a bug in Shino's case," Hinata said.

"Alright," Naruto said. "Take me to Kiba."

Hinata nodded and they both turned and ran into the village. After a few minutes of searching, they found Kiba and Akamaru scratching fleas in the middle of the street.

"Fleas?" Naruto asked grinning. "Akamaru, can you turn yourself into a human?"

Akamaru barked and transformed into a Kiba clone.

"Good boy, can you speak?" Naruto asked.

"Yes can," Akamaru said.

"Close enough," Naruto said. "What did the ninja that hit Kiba look like?"

"Silver," Akamaru said. "Fast. Shiny. ITCH!"

He suddenly turned back into a dog and began scratching furiously at a spot behind his ear. Naruto smiled then the smile faded.

"Silver huh?" Naruto asked. "Damn, it's the First Lieutenant. He's second in command and second strongest. He's also the brains but his brother the boss forgets it sometimes. Don't worry, I'll kill him for you Kiba. Hinata, I know I didn't want you to get involved but, we're out of options. The First Lieutenant is extremely curious where women are involved. I need you to stand at the intersection over there and scream. But first, how many are left?"

"I can see two chakras," Hinata said. "Both strong but one slightly stronger than the other. I can't see the source though. They've covered the entire village with their chakra.

"Okay," Naruto said. "Go ahead. When he gets here, I'll kill him."

Hinata nodded and walked to the intersection. Their friends had killed all of the other ninja and were far from secretive about it yet for all the noise and light during the attack, not a soul was out in the streets helping them. Naruto realized this at the same time and opened a random door looking in. What he saw was not what he had expected.

Just then Hinata screamed bloody murder and for half a second he forgot she had done it on purpose. He sped out into the street just as a ninja wearing golden armor stepped out from around a corner. He was perfectly calm and walking toward Hinata with measured and purposeful strides.

"HINATA!" Naruto shouted. "RUN!"

Hinata was confused and looked around seeing the ninja. Her eyes widened and she turned to run just as he held his hand out and a bright white sphere shot out of his palm and exploded on the ground to her right sending her flying at Naruto. He caught her and set her down then leapt over her at the ninja who was already making signs.

"Ninja Art, Feral Mirror Jutsu!" he said smashing his fist into the ground.

A glowing fissure shot out from his hand at Naruto then under him and straight at Hinata. Naruto's eyes widened when he realized this.

"Hinata!" Naruto said somehow stopping mid air and leaping in the other direction.

The fissure reached her and her eyes widened just as a column of light shot into the air and she screamed. Naruto landed at a full sprint but the light faded as soon as it had appeared and left a small white rabbit in its place. Naruto slid to a stop beside Hinata looking back to see the ninja backing away.

"Come to me if you wish to save her," the ninja said. "I'll release the jutsu and spare all of your friends in exchange for your life."

Then he was gone. Naruto turned back to Hinata to see her brushing against his arm.

"I'm sorry Hinata," Naruto said. "I didn't think he would be the one to answer. I'm going to fix this."

She looked up at him and, despite her rabbit form, he knew she was afraid he would allow the ninja to kill him.

"Don't worry," Naruto said. "I'm going to kill him. Kiba, summon the others if you can. Keep Hinata safe and keep her here. I'll be back soon."

Kiba managed a nod then howled. Naruto waited for a moment before a lion walked around a corner sitting beside them and A boar around another corner with a sloth laying on its back.

Naruto nodded to Kiba then turned and ran after the ninja. As he ran his anger grew rapidly. Soon, he was covered by the Nine-tails Cloak. When he reached the ninja, his feral state traits were present and he had two tails. The ninja stood against the wall calmly staring at Naruto.

"Welcome," the ninja said. "We didn't have a proper introduction last time did we? My name is Erodai. It's a pleasure to meet you, Jinchuriki."

"I'm going to tear you in half!" Naruto said.

"By all means," Erodai said waving a hand.

Naruto leapt at him and Erodai instantly blasted him with a sphere of chakra. Naruto landed on his back and looked down to see a gap in the protective chakra just before it sealed up.

"I'm stronger than you freak," Erodai said. "Come on, get mad! Don't you care about the Hyuga bitch?"

And with that, Naruto snapped.

* * *

Hinata hopped forward a few feet and Kiba stepped in her way.

_"Where are you going?"_ Kiba asked.

_"To help Naruto,"_ Hinata said.

_"No,"_ Kiba said. _"You're staying here where you won't get in trouble."_

_ "I can still use my Byakugan," _Hinata said. _"I'm not useless. I can help him fight."_

_ "She's right,"_ Neji said. _"I could help too."_

_ "No,"_ Kiba said. _"Naruto will be fine."_

Just then the ninja with sliver armor stepped out of a nearby building and grinned at the animals assembled there before heading toward Naruto and the other ninja.

_"What was in there?"_ Hinata asked.

_"I don't know but Naruto seemed unsettled by that house,"_ Kiba said.

Hinata hopped over to the house he had indicated and Kiba himself went to the other house. What they found was extremely worthy of unsettling Naruto. Inside were two of Naruto's, understandably, least favorite creatures, snakes and spiders. The snakes were about the size of tree trunks and were everywhere and the spiders were covering the ceiling. The residents were either in a snake's mouth or stuck to the ceiling in cocoons of spider web.

_That's why no one's answered._ Hinata thought. _But who's summons are they?_

Hinata turned and took off in a blur after Naruto. She was going to save him no matter what form she was in.

When she reached Naruto, she froze. Naruto was fighting both ninja and was losing badly but that wasn't what stopped her. He was covered in boiling red chakra forming the outline of a fox with two tails.

"Give up Jinchuriki," the ninja in the gold armor said. "You've lost. Do you really want to continue this fight?"

"I'm going to tear you apart!" Naruto said standing after being blasted by both ninja at once.

"Have it your way," the ninja in the gold armor said throwing a kunai at Hinata.

Naruto suddenly appeared in front of her catching the knife at the last second now sporting three tails. The ninja in the silver armor took a step back and the other stopped him.

"Don't worry Bureizu," Erodai said. "I'm going to handle him, you just need to watch for a chance."

Bureizu nodded and walked to his left while Erodai walked away from him.

"Come Naruto," Erodai said. "Let's have a rematch."

Naruto charged at Erodai and Erodai met his charger. When they met, Naruto swung at Erodai but Erodai ducked under the fist then stood back up punching him in the jaw and sending him flying. Naruto landed in a heap then stood and punched the ground. A moment later the chakra from his arm shot out of the ground under Erodai in the form of a hand. Erodai dodged the hand by millimeters then blasted it destroying it. Naruto suddenly appeared behind him and smashed him into the ground then spun throwing him.

"Summoning Jutsu!" Bureizu said summoning hundreds of spiders which instantly began to use their webbing to restrain Naruto.

"Ninja Art, Feral Mirror Jutsu!" Erodai said sending the jutsu at Naruto.

It hit before Naruto could react and a moment later there was only a cocoon of web. Suddenly the cocoon exploded and a fox shot out in a blur and smashed Bureizu into the ground slashing his chest and ruining his armor as well as leaving scratches. He kicked the fox away and Erodai took a step back.

"He's so strong," Erodai said. "What gives?"

"It's not the brat in control anymore," Bureizu said as a second tail sprouted beside the first.

"Summoning Jutsu!" Erodai said as a massive ball of spikes appeared. "Try this!"

He slammed his foot on the ball and the spikes all shot at Naruto. He leapt over them and they crashed down where he had been then he landed in front of Erodai and slashed his throat. Erodai stumbled back and fell onto the ground where a lion walked over and took hi head in its mouth. Then it bit down and crushed the head killing Erodai.

"Brother!" Bureizu shouted as Naruto and Hinata were both enveloped in a blinding light.

A moment later they were both standing in their human forms again fully clothed, to their infinite relief, and glaring at Bureizu.

"You've been busy," Naruto said as all of the others walked in in their animal forms.

The snakes and ball of spikes all disappeared leaving anything the snakes had been in the process of digesting. A moment later, shinobi began pouring into the square but stopping seeing the animals and the fact that Naruto and Hinata were about to fight.

"Fifty Rio says they lose," one shinobi whispered to another and the two shook hands.

Naruto drew his kunai and threw it at Bureizu.

"Eight Trigrams Air Palm!" Hinata said blasting the kunai and sending it shooting at Bureizu.

The kunai hit him in the chest and came out the other side making him stumble back a few feet. This had happened in the blink of an eye so by the time it hit him, he had barely noticed they had moved.

Naruto held his hand out and Hinata held hers over him. They both channeled their chakra into the space between their hands and a pure white Rasengan appeared.

"Bureizu," Naruto said. "I know you've got a plan so feel free to try it."

"Just kill him Naruto!" someone shouted.

"Why?" Naruto asked. "The only bad thing about me letting him fight back is that Sakura will hit me which she probably will anyway."

"True," Hinata said quietly. "But just kill him."

Naruto nodded and leapt into the air over Bureizu. Bureizu looked surprised right up until Naruto smashed the Rasengan into his face forming a crater with Bureizu in the bottom.

Everyone cheered as the others changed back and Sakura walked over to Naruto.

"I...I'm so sorry for being so abusive," Sakura said.

"You're forgiven," Naruto said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, there's one other thing I have to do."

He leapt over the crowd of shinobi and began running along roof tops away from the other glancing back each time he jumped to a new one. As he had hoped, Hinata was following him, clearly worried.

He stopped in the same clearing the Konoha 11 had met at and pulled his shirt up to reveal a cut. The injury was from a knife Erodai had used and was not something he was proud of. He could have dodged it but he had been tricked into the obvious trap by Bureizu.

"You're hurt," Hinata said.

"Nothing fatal," Naruto said. "Just a scratch from a stupid mistake. Seems I've been making a lot recently."

"What do you mean?" Hinata asked.

"Getting hurt, letting my emotions get carried away, letting you be put in danger," Naruto listed. "Not telling you the truth."

"The truth?" Hinata asked.

"You saw right?" Naruto asked. "The chakra?"

"Yes," Hinata said.

"It wasn't mine," Naruto said then smirked at himself. "I'm the Jinchuriki of the Nine-tailed Demon Fox."

"You...oh," Hinata said. _So that's why everyone hated him when he was young._

"You probably hate me now right?" Naruto asked miserably staring at the ground.

"No," Hinata said walking over and forcing him to look her in the eye. "Naruto, I could never hate you. I...I love you."

Naruto stared at her in shock for a moment then kissed her. Her eyes grew to the size of saucers and her face turned redder than a tomato but she still kissed him back. The other members of the Konoha 11 all arrived and watched silently and approvingly from the trees on the other side of the clearing. Finally Naruto pulled away.

"I love you too," Naruto said smiling.

"You have no idea how long I've waited to hear you say that," Hinata said smiling as her blush faded a bit.

"Was it worth it?" Naruto asked clearly meaning did she think he was worth all the trouble them being together would bring.

"Yes, it was," Hinata said before kissing him again.

He kissed her back but this time she pulled away.

"And if any of you tell my father, you're dead," Hinata said looking over her shoulder and earning laughter in return.

THE END

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